Fadlallah: "Resolution 1559 made in “Israel” and aimed to disarm the resistance", "the country`s true independence w

Source: Daily Star, 19-5-2006
BEIRUT: Senior Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah said the "Taif Accord does not build a state," but was created to end a civil war. During an interview with the Lebanese daily As-Safir published on Thursday, Fadlallah said: "Eradicating the sectarian regime is the only way to build a modern state and this cannot be achieved through the Taif Accord. The Taif was not created to establish a balanced state but to end the Civil War."
"Sectarian principles are still prevailing over national ones," he said, adding that developments following former Premier Rafik Hariri`s killing "did not eliminate sectarian feelings."
"The current situation is the same as the country`s former situation, with some new accessories such as dialogue," he said.
"When we move according to sectarian positions, we see that the Islamic political stands open toward Syria and against "Israel", while the other party opens shyly toward "Israel", against Syria and its security regime."
Fadlallah indirectly referred to the visit of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir to Paris, saying: "During a visit made to France, talks focused on Lebanon`s Christian role, instead of talking about the role of Christianity in a secular state."
The cleric also said "the Muslims liberated the country from the "Israelis", while some Christian groups opened to "Israel", even when it occupied Lebanon."
"Syria entered the country when the Christians needed them; when they were threatened," he said, adding that the Syrian presence in Lebanon was due to an American strategy.
"With all due respect to their political and cultural role, what do the Christians want? Do they want the Muslims to become the enemies of Syria?" he asked.
The cleric also stressed the need to put an end to money squandering. "The people who are criticizing money squandering and corruption are the same politicians who, in the past, stole the country`s wealth and sought their personal ambitions."
Fadlallah added that reform should start with "holding accountable all the politicians who ruled the country during the Syrian tutelage."
Regarding Resolution 1559, Fadlallah said it was "made in "Israel" and aimed to disarm the resistance."
He also said that the Lebanese Army "is not capable of fighting the "Israelis"."
"The catastrophe that happened last week and claimed the lives of four Lebanese Army officers showed that the army does not have sufficient weapons to face the "Israelis"," Fadlallah said, referring to the helicopter crash that took place on Friday near the village of Niha.
Fadlallah added that the resistance`s arms "were never used against any sect; however, the weapons owned by Christian parties were used against both Christians and Muslims."
"We also hear claims about a Christian party which started to take arms and train its partisans," he said.
Fadlallah added that "the country`s true independence was achieved by the resistance when it liberated the occupied territories in the South."
Asked about some people`s claims that the country achieved its independence with the withdrawal of the Syrian troops last April, the cleric said: "We reject any Iranian or Syrian tutelage. Lebanon is the only country in the region where people feel they are politically, socially and culturally free."
"We want to remain free and to be open to other countries," he also said.
Fadlallah added that Lebanon should also reject any form of American tutelage over the country. He said the United States was seeking to fulfill "Israeli" interests through its strategy in the region. "Resolution 1559 was created only to preserve the safety of "Israel"," he said.